A hipot test, also called a high potential test or dielectric withstand test, is the most common electrical safety test to determine a product's electrical insulation and whether it can handle surges of high voltage. The extra voltage tests the limits of the device's electrical insulation, or whether current flows where it shouldn't. This form of testing can reveal common insulation issues, such as braided shielding, stray wire strands, corrosive or conductive contaminants around conductors, and much more.
Hipot testing ensures leakage current is minimal and dielectric remains intact. Factors like moisture, vibration, and wear can render electrical insulation ineffective and vulnerable to transients and other energy fluctuations.
Hipot testing equipment can be provided with an AC or DC voltage. An AC hipot test voltage that changes polarity, alternating between positive and negative. Meanwhile, the DC hipot test slowly increases voltage, allowing current to flow in one direction. VLF hipots test AC medium or high voltage cables at a low frequency, determining the high voltage fields of high capacitance loads.
To verify electrical insulation and high potential, ATEC offers a range of precise hipot tester rentals at affordable rates from trusted manufacturers, such as Hipotronics and Phenix Technologies.
